Freezing tray



Oct. 17, 1933. Q BERKELEY 1,931,053

FREE Z I NG TRAY Filed Dec. 21, 1931 gmcmtoz Patented Oct. 17, 1933FREEZING TRAY Harrison Berkeley, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to The InlandManufacturing Company, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of DelawareApplication December 21, 1931 Serial No. 582,349

Claims.

This invention relates to freezing trays especially such as are used forfreezing ice blocks in mechanical refrigerators.

One piece flexible non-metallic freezing trays 5 are now well known andin general use. The chief advantage of such flexible non-metallic trayslies in the fact that the frozen ice blocks may be easily removedtherefrom by flexing the tray and without melting the ice freetherefrom. However,

a serious disadvantage of such non-metallic trays lies in the fact thatthe efliciency and rapidity of freezing is decreased due to therelatively poor heat conductivity of the non-metallic materials, such asflexible rubber, of which such trays are made. Now the object of thisinvention is to provide a freezing tray having all the advantages ofeasy removal of the frozen ice blocks inherent in the presentnon-metallic flexible trays and at the same time having the advantage ofrapid freezing due to what is in effect a removable thin metal bottomfor a flexible non-metallic tray.

Another object is to provide such a tray having a very easily handledand economically made structure.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawing, wherein'a preferred embodiment of one form of the presentinvention is clearly shown.

In the drawing: 7

Fig. 1 is a side view of a flexible rubber freezing container and themetal cover plate therefore in spaced relation, showing how the coverplate is simply set upon the container after it is filled 35 with water.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the container and metal plate in inverted orfreezing position.

Fig. 3 is in part a side elevation and in part a section taken on line3-3 of Fig. 2. I

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on line 44 of Fig. 3.

Similar reference characters refer to similar.

parts throughout the several views.

Numeral 10 designates a molded one-piece flexible rubber containerhaving partitions 11 therein which divide up the space into a pluralityof icepockets 12 to form ice blocks of any desired or suitable size.Container 10 may be made from any suitable flexible non-metallicmaterial capal ble of suflicient flexing or distortion to remove theiceblocks therefrom but soft high grade flexible rubber has been foundto be the most satisfactory to date. The side and end, walls 13 and 14of container 10 are preferably provided with an outi wardly flaringflexible flange 15 which extends REISSUED continuously all around theperiphery of said container 10 in the same plane. When the container 10is filled level full with water and the metal cover plate 20 is setthereupon, as indicated in Fig. 1, the peripheral flexible flange 15will seat directly upon the fiat plate 20 with a neat fit. This coverplate 20 is preferably provided with a slightly raised marginal edge 21,which in the form shown is provided by a reinforcing resilient wire 22about which the raised edge 21 is 5 curled, as clearly illustrated. Thiswire 22 preferably extends at one end to form the handle 23 by means ofwhich the assembly may be more easily handled when the container 10 isfilled with water.

After container 10 is filled with water and the cover plate 20 setthereupon, this assembly is inverted as a unit to the position clearlyshown in Figs. 3 and 4. The water in container 10 will then ordinarilyleak out slowly until it forms a water seal at 30 all around thecontainer 10 between the flange 15 thereof and the raised margin 21 ofpan 20. Fig. 4 clearly shows how the atmospheric pressure actingdownward as illustrated by arrows 31 will positively prevent furtherleakage of water from container 10 as soon as the water seal 30 coversthe joint between flange 15 and the bottom plate 20. Only a very thinfilm of water willdo this since such a water film will prevent airbubbles entering the container under flange 15, and if no air bubblesenter the water will be retained up within container 10 against gravityaction by the partial vacuum existing in the pockets 12 within container10. If the flange 15 is molded with a veryv smooth and accurate planesurface the raised margin 21 of plate 20 will be unnecessary since thesurface tension of the film of water between flange 15 and plate 20 willbe suflicient to prevent air entering container 10 under the flange 15'and thus the water is prevented from leaking out due to the partialvacuum occurring within container 10 as soon as the water begins to leakout.

The inverted assembly shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4 is inserted within afreezing chamber of a refrigerator, preferably resting directly upon arefrigerated metal shelf or support. Heat is rapidly conducted from thewater through the thin metal bottom 20 which ordinarily rests directlyupon a refrigerated metal support. Thus this invention provides ineffect a flexible non-metallic container 10 having a metal bottom whichgreatly enhances the rapid freezing of the water. The thin water seal 30freezes very quickly and thereafter if desired for any reason theassembly may 110 be removed and handledquite carelessly without dangerof the water in container leaking out or the plate 20 becoming separatedtherefrom.

After 'the water is completely frozen the assembly is removed as a unitand the flexible metal plate 20 is easily stripped from its frozen bondwith the ice in container 10 by lifting up on handle 23 or otherwisebending or twisting the flexible plate 20, the ice blocks remainingwithin the pockets 12. A handle 16 is molded integrally upon container10 to facilitate handling of the container and also serves as aconvenient means to hold said container 10 when the metal plate 20 isstripped therefrom as described in the preceding sentence. After removalof plate 20 the ice blocks are easily removed from the flexiblecontainer 10 either one or several at a time or all atonce, simply byflexing said container in any desired manner. a

This invention therefore provides what is in effect a quickly and simplyremovable flexible cover plate for a flexible non-metallic freezingtray. No thawing of the frozen bond between the ice and its confiningparts is necessary.

While the form of embodiment of the present invention as hereindisclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood thatother forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claimswhich follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A freezing device comprising: a flexible nonmetallic container havingice pockets therein and adapted to be filled with water, and a flexiblemetal plate upon which said flexible container rests flatly in invertedposition, and means providing a water seal around the peripheral loweredge of said container whereby water will be held within said containeragainst gravity action by atmospheric pressure.

2. A freezing device comprising a container having ice pockets thereinand adapted to be filled with water, a flexible metal plate upon whichsaid container rests in inverted position, and means providing a waterseal around the peripheral lower edge of said container whereby waterwill be held up within said container against gravity action byatmospheric pressure.

3. A freezing device comprising: a flexible nonmetallic container havingice pockets therein and adapted to be filled with water, a flexiblemetal cover plate upon which said container rests in inverted .positionin such manner that water will be retained within said container againstgravity action until the water is frozen, saidmetal plate being capableof being stripped from its frozen bond with said container and itscontents by flexing same to facilitate the removal of the ice.

4. A freezing tray comprising: a one piece flexible rubber container anda flexible metal cover plate fitting flatly upon the peripheral edges ofsaid container, said container being adapted to be filled with water,the metal cover plate applied thereto and the assembly then inverted during the freezing of the water, whereby rapidity of the freezing of thewater in said container is enhanced by the transfer of heat from saidwater through said metal cover plate.

5. A freezing device comprising: an open faced flexible non-metalliccontainer adapted to be filled with water and having a continuous flatperipheral edge, and a metal plate upon which said flat peripheral edgefits in such manner that the water will be retained up within saidcontainer at the joint between said peripheral edge and said plate whensaid container and plate are inverted in fitted together relation.

HARRISON C. BERKELEY.

